The difficulty we have with chronic renal failure is that it is an irreversible condition since  a damaged kidney cannot regenerate.  Fortunately though the kidney has considerable reserves and in the early stages the damage to the kidney may pass unnoticed.  That’s why, during health checks in older cats, one of the routine checks made is on a urine sample - not always the easiest thing for an owner to get from a reluctant cat!  For those that do use a litter tray indoors, there is now a non-absorbable litter that we Vets supply prior to these senior checks to try and get a sample.  But of course cats aren’t always co-operative.  Where this occurs we also have the facility to take a very small urine sample, via a syringe and needle, from the bladder itself.  It’s a very simple and safe procedure and is remarkably well tolerated by almost all cats.  Of course this assumes that your cat has a full bladder.  As I said, not all cats cooperate!

The reason why a urine sample is so useful is because testing it gives us a very early warning of changes happening in the kidney.  And of course, if we can detect things early there’s a much higher chance of slowing down the progression of the disease.  A blood sample is the next best thing, but when signs of renal damage appear in the blood, then about 75% of the kidney tubules (nephrons) are non-functional.  Even at this stage help is available, but it’s pretty obvious that if we can get in earlier then a lot more can be done to help.

What signs might I notice in my cat?

An increase in urinating and an increase in thirst are quoted as the most common early signs that may be seen in cats with a developing chronic renal failure.  Of course, most cats that go outside tend to wee outside, so that part may be difficult to detect.  And in a multi cat household it’s not always easy to tell if one individual cat is drinking more than another.  Other signs that may be noticed are a loss of appetite, sometimes cats are sick and there may be weight loss along with a drop in body condition.  At the annual (and for older cats, biannual) health checks weight recording is an very important part of the examination.  Subtle small losses in weight over several visits may be the only sign that something is remiss.  Fortunately, with a cat’s weight being recorded at every visit, a library picture has been built up for your individual cat so that weight change outside of the normal boundaries will alert us to a potential problem.  Eye checks at this time are also important as they give a hint about another aspect of kidney changes in about a fifth of such cats that involve an increase in blood pressure.

What can be done to help?

Quite a lot.  Because one of the greatest problems we have with cats suffering with kidney disease is a loss of appetite it’s really essential to get them eating.  However, highly-flavoured, highly-salted diets can be a real issue for a cat with a damaged kidney.  One of the most important parts of our “treatments” to help cats with kidney disease is the introduction of a prescription diet restricted in phosphorus and sodium as well as being moderately restricted in protein.  For those cats that transfer successfully on to a prescription diet they have a life expectancy three times longer than those that refuse the food.  Anecdotally, those cat that are “finicky” with their food in their early years, or get lots of different types of diets in their life, prove to be the most difficult to transfer over.  It is much more important that a cat eats something though, even if it’s not the ideal diet.  Diets can be modified by adding things to them to ‘recreate’ a kidney diet.

Kidney-damaged cats will also suffer with urine infections as a result of producing a weakly concentrated urine.  Routine checks are made to check for any infections. They also suffer much more with mouth infections.

It certainly isn’t a hopeless situation for cats with kidney disease  Early diagnosis is the key to helping though.  With regular health checks this can usually be achieved long before the situation has started to spiral out of control.

© copywrite Dai Gittins MRCVS.

The signs to look out for:

• Disorientation

Typical problems include going to the wrong house or staring at things that have been there for a long time and even possibly not recognising people.  Other signs that may be noted include barking for no reason, staring in to space for extended periods or standing in corners.

• Interaction changes

An older dog may show a lot less enthusiasm when greeting us or when playing.  Affected dogs are also more likely to become anxious and develop phobias such as noise.  This may lead to an elderly dog becoming less able to cope with new experiences leading to them becoming more irritable or demanding reassurance from us.  Sadly, other dogs may recognise the odd behaviour and show aggression towards the elderly dog.

• Sleep disorders

Affected dogs often sleep during the day, but are unable to sleep or settle at night.  They may pace, howl or bark and act in a confused manner.

• House-soiling or loss of previously learned commands

This may start with the dog going to the toilet in unusual places (for example on the patio rather than the grass) and then progress to house soiling.  In some cases the elderly dog may sit by the wrong door to be let out and we as owners then fail to recognise what our dog is asking for.  In addition to house-soiling, dogs may lose their ability to respond to commands and lose their previously learned inhibitions (for example they may start snatching food from a person’s plate).

Affected dogs may show one or a combination of these signs, and it may be quite subtle in the early stages.  One study found that at least one of these signs was present in a third of 11-12 year old dogs.  By the time dogs reach 15-16 years of age this increased to two-thirds.  Many owners write of these changes as “just old age” and are not aware that treatment can help.

So what can we do to help?

As with all degenerative problems, once the condition has started, it is not possible to stop the process completely.  The aim of treatment then is to delay the progression of the disease, restore mental function and retrain lost behaviour so as to re-establish relationships with people and other animals in the household.  As with all therapies, if started early in the progress of the disease it is more likely to have an effect.  These therapies in clued both behavioural treatment and the use of medications.

Behavioural therapy aims to try and re-establish previously known behaviours, such as house-training and recognition of simple commands.  Short training sessions – such as two to three minutes at a time – with big rewards are a help.  It can help to use strong, unambiguous commands, such as exaggerated hand signals and the use of a clicker.  Visual markers may also be useful, such as placing a paper cross on the door leading to the outside so the dog knows which door to wait by when it wants to go out.  Ringing a bell when the dog’s food is ready may also be helpful.  As well as retraining, it is important to provide a consistent, moderate amount of mental stimulation and exercise.  Short, frequent periods of interaction for play or exercise (at no more than five to ten minutes at a time) are beneficial.  Simple games, such as ball and recall games, with rewards and encouragement are ideal.

There are now also a variety of medications that available that help to delay the progress of the changes affecting the brain.  They need to be used alongside the behavioural therapy but have been shown in studies to improve learning significantly.  In this way they can help with the re-training of elderly dogs which have a reduced short-term memory span.  They are also helpful for those elderly dogs that have developed fear and anxiety-related disorders.  Signs of improvement are usually seen after two to three weeks, with a full response seen after two months of therapy.  Other therapy seeks to help to increase the amount of oxygen arriving at the brain and there are even diets now that specifically target this type of problem.

As with all these treatments, the early appreciation of any deterioration is essential.  Senior dogs (those over 10 years of age) tend to be checked slightly more often at Veterinary Centres for this reason. Recognising these subtle changes in the early stages is, as always, the key to a much happier time for our dogs in their ‘autumn years’.

© copywrite Dai Gittins MRCVS.

If that sounds a familiar story with your dog then you’re not alone.  It’s pretty much the standard discussion most Vets have with clients at some stage during their ownership of a canine companion.  And the consistency of their dogs’ stools is often only mentioned (sometimes in passing) at the annual health checks .  Which tells us something about the way an owner stoically puts up with the situation.  Well the good news is that it isn’t normal, and the even better news is we can almost always improve the situation very easily.

Why have things gone wrong?

First of all we need to understand what is happening.  When our dogs (and for that matter us) eat food they eat foreign material.  That much is obvious.  The body, however,  isn’t over keen on the idea of foreign stuff getting inside the body (hence all the immune defenses that have evolved over millions of years) but it’s necessary to survive, so we have come to an agreement with the body that that’s just about OK.  However, our defenses are very aware of the chance that things can get a bit problematic, so the gut lining is dotted with heaps of extra defense areas ready to leap in to action if the “stuff” our dogs eat is just plain wrong.  And due to the many eating indiscretions that many dogs embark on, it often can go wrong.  In dietary terms dogs are described as hunter/scavengers.  Us humans on the other hand are hunter/gatherers.  The difference is that we will pick our food somewhat carefully and examine it before eating whereas a dog just throws it down and lets the gut decide if it was a good or bad idea.  Left to their own devices, most of the scavenging that dogs do is a pretty bad idea.  The gut will try and quickly exit the ‘bad stuff’ from the system, either by ejecting it out of the front end in the form of vomit, or more commonly out of the back end in the form of diarrhoea.  Over time, with the repeat insults following these dietary indiscretions, there is a gradual erosion in the gut’s ability to overcome the onslaught of these repetitive errors.  Eventually a chronically damaged situation  persists - hence the altering state of a dog’s motions, even during the course of a day!

What to do to stop it?

In the face of a horrendous diarrhoea veterinary advice is always best sought.  The problem is usually dealt with very quickly with a short course of treatment and the use of  a low-irritancy diet.  Most of our concerns with these acute episodes of gut disturbance is directed at ensuring the problem doesn’t progress in to a pancreatitis.  But in many instances the loose stool doesn’t seem all that bad, which makes it much more likely to become a chronic, low grade issue that may become persistent.  The approach to all these types of problems is invariably dietary in the first instance.  There are now a range of excellent low irritancy prescription diets that are the mainstay of the treatment regime.  They effectively get beneath the radar of the highly sensitized gut defense system.  In a fair number of cases the introduction of one of these types of diets can stop the problem in its tracks.  The work then is to determine just how long to keep a dog on the special diet.  For the majority though the food won’t overcome the problem on its own.  The treatments are directed at allowing the gut to self heal as best it can whilst still allowing the gut to perform its normal function.  And that isn’t easy.  With a broken leg, once the surgery has been completed, most of the effort is directed at resting the healing area.  Not an option for the gut.  So it has to continue its function whilst trying to heal at the same time.  This is why it can take a long time to mend.  But with close discussion between owner and Vet at each stage of the healing process the treatments available often lead to a very good recovery.  For a few individuals they may need to stay on a prescription diet, but that is not a great problem compared to the daily chore of dealing with sloppy poos!

© copywrite Dai Gittins MRCVS.

Typical signs of cystitis

For many owners, the signs of cystitis are all too obvious - tell-tale wet patches in the corners of a living room, bedroom or bathroom.  For those cats using litter trays an increased frequency of visits to the tray may also alert of a possible problem.  Often in these cases though there is little evidence of a cat actually having passed anything- indeed on many occasions a cat is brought to the Veterinary Centre with an owner suspicious of constipation as nothing is being produced, despite many minutes of straining, hovering over the litter.  Yowling may accompany such ‘efforts’ as well - a sure sign of the distress a cat is feeling.  Over-grooming in the lower belly region may also give a possible clue to the level of upset that repeat bouts of cystitis is causing.

It would seem reasonable to assume that in these idiopathic cystitis situations a cat’s bladder should be so full that it is causing immense upset and discomfort.  In fact quite the opposite is often the case.  The bladder itself is quite small due to spasm - it just can’t fill.  The reason why it is so important to get a cat checked over is because the self same signs are often present when the bladder is full to bursting.  This is a lot more dangerous a problem and needs immediate veterinary attention to avoid an imminent crisis.

Help to manage the problem

For owners with cats that are prone to idiopathic cystitis, one or two trips to the Vets will alert them to the likely situation.  Sometimes tests are needed to be certain that there isn’t an underlying infection causing the problem.  Sadly though, infections are present in a lot less than 2% of cases.  Blockage due to crystals or stones in the urine is another reason for cystitis, and this is the case in 10-25% of cats suffering with the condition.  For the vast majority though the problem is one of behavioural stress.

Trying to work out what ‘stressor’ is the main reason for a cat developing these painful cystitis bouts is often very difficult.  Indeed, in many cases a reason just can’t be found.  The main focus in the initial part of the painful phase of a bout of cystitis is to stop the pain.  This is often achieved with some kind of anti-inflammatory treatment in the form of an injection or tablets, with follow-up treatment for a short period if necessary.  In some cases the ‘stressor’ reason for the bout of cystitis seems to go away, and in these cats no further help is needed.  In others though the problem just keeps coming back at varying intervals.  For these cats, more tablets or injections is just using a sticking plaster mentality for a much deeper rooted issue.  For such cats more work is needed to try and help them through their stressful episodes.

One such form of help is the cat friendly pheromone diffuser - Feliway.  This is a bottled version of the same, odourless, pheromone that cats deposit on their owners when they rub their face against us.  Its use in cats suffering with idiopathic cystitis is directed at helping a cat to feel more at ease in its own environment.  The theory behind its use is to allow the pheromone (or scent) to drift in to the cat’s atmosphere (your home) and reduce stress in this way.  Fortunately for us these pheromones are odourless and just require the diffuser to be plugged in to a wall socket and left on permanently.  Not in all cases is the answer quite so simple, and in some cats help is more difficult to come by.  Generally though, even in very distressed cats some form of relief from the pain of idiopathic cystitis is available.

© copywrite Dai Gittins MRCVS.

A cat’s view of their world

Cats have evolved to become good night-time hunters.  For this to be possible though cats have had to trade in some of the finer details of vision that we humans possess.  For a cat seeking its prey in the dark the fine detail isn’t too important compared to the need for improved nocturnal vision.  For cats this is approximately six times better than us due to a combination of an extra layer in the back of their eye along with the ability to dilate their pupils widely, maximising the amount of light which enters the eye in dim lighting.

How easy is it to tell if a cat is losing its sight?

The simple answer is - not that easy.  For the most part, with the ageing process, sight loss is a gradual affair for cats and they can adapt to their disability over time, learning where furniture and other obstacles are in the home.  A sudden loss of vision is easier to notice.  Bumping into objects is an obvious indication of failed sight, but as this is a very gradual process for most cats it may only become evident when furniture is moved or a door normally left open is closed.  A cat’s awareness of the layout of their home is very good - so when their sight fails they only get caught out when this changes.

Other signs which may help in determining failing sight could include a reluctance to jump down from a height.  Often they climb down by gingerly feeling their way with their feet first.  They may adopt a crouched walk with their body closer to the ground, stretching their necks out further so as to feel their way with their long whiskers.

As well as these subtle behavioural changes a cat’s eyes may change in appearance.  A colour change in one or both of the eyes recently may indicate a medical problem.  Cloudy eyes  are often a feature of cats that have developed cataracts.  However, such changes could also be present in cats suffering with glaucoma where there is a raised pressure within the eye.  A reddening of the eye may be the result of an increased blood pressure, but may also be the result of an inflammation or a tumour.  For any sudden colour changes to your cat’s eyes a full eye examination by your Vet is advised.  As a cat ages, during senior health checks, an ocular examination becomes a very important part of the check-up.  The back of the eye is an early warning indicator for a developing high blood pressure, something that many cats will develop as they age, and which can be treated very successfully.

What can I do to help care for my blind cat?

For us humans there is a heavy reliance on our sense of sight, almost to the exclusion of our other senses.  For cats, whilst sight is important, hearing, smell and touch are very important as well.  Many owners are shocked to learn that their older cat has become blind, especially as they often can go out in to the garden, apparently as normal.  For most of these cats though, they are more likely to be staying nearer to home.  The key for these cats is their familiarity with their environment.  Sudden changes in the layout of their familiar surroundings really does spell trouble.  For a cat, losing their confidence in moving around this area can make them withdraw in to themselves.  It may seem odd to find a visually impaired cat seeking refuge in higher hiding places, but as we know, cats feel secure if they are able to hide in havens off the ground.  Getting access to such a place may prove a problem though.  Smaller stepping points are useful for cats with poor vision so they are not called upon to jump up large distances.  Ultimately a visually impaired cat can function very well in familiar surroundings.  And with just a few very minor considerations their home can stay the safe place it always has been.

© copywrite Dai Gittins MRCVS.

Being aware of the very early signs of developing arthritic changes is essential in helping to turn the problem around.  In well over half of cases the main presenting sign mentioned to vets is the difficulty in getting up after rest.  If this is accompanied by other signs such as lameness, difficulty in climbing stairs or getting into a car, then the possibility of this being all due to osteo-arthritis probably isn’t difficult to conclude.  But often there are just small changes that develop slowly over a long time which can easily be missed, or excused as being ‘natural’ in the older dog.

Part of the reason for annual (and often bi-annual) health checks in older dogs is try and pick out the very early signs of developing osteo-arthritis.

The nature of osteo-arthritic pain

It’s generally accepted that pain associated with osteo-arthritis has an insidious onset that intensifies over time, becoming more persistent.  Initially, pain may only be present during movement and weight bearing, but as it progresses there may be continuous pain, exacerbated by normal joint use.  Chronic pain associated with osteo-arthritis can become all pervasive and affect everything, including sleep.

Human osteo-arthritis sufferers most commonly describe the associated pain as a persistent ache.  Characteristically, the pain is worse when the affected joint is used, and in the evenings.  Although the pain is reported to be eased somewhat by rest, patients with more severe disease, or those who have had symptoms for a longer time, report pain during the night.

So why does joint pain get worse over time?

When joint injury occurs, through a fall or a knock, the damaged cells release a whole host inflammatory mediators which can have a wide effect on the pain receptors local to that joint.  But unfortunately it doesn’t stop there.  It is also possible for the surrounding tissue to show an exaggerated pain response as a result of the branches of the pain receptors being sensitised.  This ‘peripheral sensitisation’ is a key contributor to pain associated with osteo-arthritis.

Sadly it doesn’t stop there either.  When the peripheral pain receptors are persistently stimulated they send barrages of impulses up in to the spinal cord leading to a dramatic increase in the size and length of response.  This further amplifies the pain signals going to the brain.

When this central sensitisation occurs the area affected becomes enlarged, explaining why uninjured tissue around the affected joint also becomes painful.

Get in early on pain control

At this advanced stage of joint pain we really are dealing with trying to salvage things for a dog.  Long before this situation becomes obvious to all, our job as Vets (and owners) is to pick out those very early signs we talked about at the beginning of this article.  If we do that then there really is every prospect of turning the problem around.  Early in the course of treatment we introduce anti-inflammatory medication to stop this ‘cascade of problems’ developing.  Of course it’s just one element in the battle to help a dog become more comfortable.  Others include weight control and exercise.

Weight control

Overweight animals are at increased risk due to the extra strain on joints, and they may also be less inclined to exercise.  If we to do nothing else for an overweight, arthritic dog other than lose some weight, then that would be a massive plus in the effort to help painful joints.

Lower fat, lower calorie diets can result in weight reduction, but these diets need to be carefully supervised as fast weight-loss could also lead to loss of valuable muscle tissue and vitality, resulting ironically, in a dog being less mobile.  Slow weight-loss programmes are designed by veterinary staff to help maintain the vital muscles for mobility whilst helping, over time, to shift the excess fats that are causing such a burden to the creaking joints.

Exercise moderation

Exercise at a gentle pace helps to control weight gain and keeps supporting musculature in the good condition necessary to ensure stronger, more flexible joints.  Lead walks are an obvious way of helping to ensure a controlled pace of exercise.

© copywrite Dai Gittins MRCVS.

So for those older members of the cat fraternity that present with a vague history of just being out-of-sorts, a bit off their food and losing weight a little at a time there’s a high likelihood that they’re being sick (often without an owner knowing it).  And for these cats the likelihood of a pancreatic disorder (pancreatitis) is high on the list of possibilities.

The pancreas is organ situated close to the stomach and small intestine and is responsible for making enzymes required for digestion of food.  The cause of pancreatitis is largely unknown, but can be associated with diseases that cause inflammation of the bowel and also those that affect the liver.  Added to this there is a slight evolutionary problem that most cats suffer with making the likelihood of developing a problem in this area much higher than in us (fortunate) humans.  In 80% of cats there is just one tube that leads from the pancreas and bile duct in to the first part of the intestine.  Any infection from the gut can go up this single pipe causing irritation and a blockage.  Think of it like having just one down-pipe from the guttering around your house.  Any leaves caught in this one down-pipe would cause havoc.  Similarly for the cat’s pancreas.  The term we use to describe this condition is “triaditis” where there is co-existing irritation of the pancreas, liver and intestines.

Whilst a sudden crisis can occur, for the majority of cats the problem in the pancreas is described as low grade malaise.  This condition often develops over years (hence the need to continually monitor a cat’s weight).  Over time though a cat learns to associate food (or rather the pancreas getting to work on the food) with the pain.  Hence they may stop eating, just to stop the pain.  And that’s where the problems begin.  If cats do not eat for more than two or three days, particularly if they are also unwell, they are at a high risk of developing a condition known as fatty liver syndrome, which is serious and can be fatal.  These cats need to be hospitalised and intensely nursed back to health with intravenous fluids and special diets that are sometimes delivered in to a cat’s stomach by a special feeding tube.  This is where highly trained, and dedicated, nursing staff are worth their weight in gold!

So as cat owners, what do we look out for as a way of telling if there are problems developing?  As mentioned above, the key features are progressive weight loss over a long time associated with an apparent loss of interest in food.  If you see your cat being sick on a regular basis as well, then clearly that’s another pointer towards this kind of problem developing.  These day there are blood tests that can highlight pancreatitis in cats.  But as so often, the real problem has been developing for a long period by the time a blood test is taken.  We do rely so very much on subtle, small changes in a cat’s demeanour and condition to give us the clues we are always seeking.  For this reason (amongst others)  senior cats are checked over a little more often than youngsters.  Six-monthly health checks are more the norm after a cat has celebrated their 10th birthday.  That way any minor changes in your cat’s health can be detected a lot sooner.

© copywrite Dai Gittins MRCVS.

Stress from such noises can manifest itself in many ways - many dogs will run around and vocalise, some even become destructive and harm themselves.   However, sometimes the signs of stress can be much more subtle.  This is especially true for cats - they will often ‘withdraw’ and hide, meaning that their upset is not easily recognised.

If stress associated with fireworks is not dealt with, it often progresses to fear of other more natural everyday sounds such as thunder and eventually even every day noises such as car doors slamming, by which time a pet has developed noise phobia.  Sadly such pets will not get better as they get older, because pets tend to get worse with time and each phobic incident  As a result it is really important to address this problem promptly and effectively to improve a pet’s life.

Managing firework stress needs an approach to both the short and long term issue.  In the short term it’s quite simple a case of just getting through the night.  Long term, though, it’s important to try and change the feelings our pets associate with fireworks in order that they do not become over-stressed during this ever lengthening season.

Short term management

Short term management helps our pets cope during the firework season.  Below are some useful tips to help a pet:

Provide a den or hiding place.  This is crucial, and pets often indicate the ideal place by seeking sanctuary behind a sofa or chair, under a bed, or in an under-stairs cupboard.  The sound-absorbing qualities of this ‘refuge’ can be enhanced by enclosing the space, piling on extra bedding or coats on top of furniture, leaving a curtain hanging down, etc.  An internal room with no windows is a good alternative.  As an owner we should spend some time in the hiding place with the distressed pet, just sitting quietly, so they get the idea that there is nothing to fear, as a source of reassurance

Muffle the sound of any fireworks - radio, television, close the curtains

Keep your pets inside - close the cat flap and ensure your dog is not able to access the garden

Do not fuss them, or tell the off, if they appear stressed

Reward quiet calm behaviour.

The most important change that must be made is for us as pet owners.  It is completely natural to want to reassure your pet when it is stressed - however all this does is reinforce the unwanted behaviour and unfortunately makes matters worse.

Although it’s actually the end of October the real work starts now if you have a dog or cat that gets highly distressed during the firework season.  As we all know, this ‘season’ stretches for a fair while before the 5th November, so early planning is essential to help a nervous pet get through this period with as little upset as possible.

In the past the help that we Vets had been able to offer was in the form of sedatives, a least for dogs.  Whilst it appears to do a good job of stopping the external signs of distress, it pretty much just “zonks-out” a dog, rendering it incapable of responding to the fireworks rather than reducing the stress levels.  In the middle of a sudden problem it still has a role to play, but it very much is a case of trying to get a square peg in to a round hole.

So what else can we offer to help?  By utilising the enhanced sense of smell of cats and dogs we can harness this highly developed ability in our pets to help deliver a “calming” treatment.  Cats and dogs use their sense of smell to a much greater extent than we do.  I’m afraid that our nose is very much an apology of an organ compared to theirs.  The sense of smell for our pets is a hugely important factor in their lives both in terms of rooting out prey and also collecting signals about their environment.

Dog aromatherapy?

Treatment can now be delivered in “smell form” (that incidentally is not recognisable to us) in the form of a ‘DAP diffuser’.  The diffuser contains a synthetic version of ‘Dog Appeasing Pheromone’ - a substance produced in the mother’s milk that acts to reassure the puppies and keep them in close proximity.  The memory of this continues in to adulthood and so have a calming effect at this age as well.  The diffuser is plugged in to a wall socket near the dog’s den to enhance his sense of security.  It can be used all year round, or in the case of bonfire season, be plugged in a couple of weeks before displays start and left in place until the main firework season is over.

The cat version

For many years now cats have benefitted from the use of their own plug-in diffuser, Feliway.  This takes advantage of a very different system compared to that described for dogs.  When a cat rubs up against us with their face they are actually depositing a friendly pheromone on us and our clothing, which our primitive sense of smell can’t detect.  They do this rubbing around us by way of self-reassurance.  So, one way of utilising this has been to “bottle” this friendly pheromone for use in their version of the plug-in diffuser.  The analogy I draw for clients in trying to explain this effect is the equivalent sense of relaxation we might feel walking in to a house with the smell of baking bread or freshly ground coffee.

Both these forms of treatment can only be expected to ‘crank down’ the anxiety for affected pets to an extent.  The usual comment of prevention is better than cure is little comfort when faced with an anxious cat or dog.  For all clients with kittens and puppies though a lot of the advice from Vets and nurses during health checks is directed at trying to ensure they have early exposure to a range of sounds that will help reduce the chances of developing noise phobias later in life

© copywrite Dai Gittins MRCVS.

What exactly is kennel cough ?

The term kennel cough is a bit misleading.  Typically it is a respiratory condition that affects dogs following close association with each other.  Traditionally, in the past, this was most commonly seen following a period in kennels.  Hence the term.  Of course it can arise just as easily following close association between our canine companions anywhere.  In the summer, with dogs being out for much longer walks, it’s just more likely to occur at this time of year than in the winter.  The area of the body it affects is the upper respiratory region and it can easily be passed from dog to dog by airborne droplets (coughing and sneezing) or by direct nose to nose contact.  However, even dogs that keep themselves to themselves can pick up the infection as a result of its passage via airborne droplets.  With most of us walking dogs along the greenway, tramway and the race course as well as the Welcombe hills, there’s plenty of opportunity for the spread of kennel cough.

How would I know if my dog had such an infection ?

It’s very easy for owners to recognise the classic signs of kennel cough, namely a painful, hacking cough.  The infection affects the lining of the main breathing tube (the trachea), causing it to react by producing much more mucus to try and protect the region.  That then gets brought up to the throat region leading to the typical choking type cough that many owners report.  But these classic signs may well be absent.  For some owners the only signs are a mild wheezing or even just a small amount of weeping around the eyes.

Where did my dog get the infection from ?

The big problem we Vets have with ‘kennel cough’ is that during the period when it is being spread from dog to dog there often are no obvious signs.  It can take upwards of a few weeks for the signs of the infection to show itself and for most dogs they carry on eating and drinking normally throughout an infection.  They’re just not ill.  And that equally applies to the dogs that are shedding the infection.  So trying to spot which dogs might be a problem to your dog is nigh on impossible.  It’s for this reason that many boarding kennels will now insist on a dog entering their premises to be fully up to date with the specific vaccine to protect against one part of the disease caused by Bordatella infection.

Won’t it just go away in time ?

Untreated, this infection may last for many weeks.  Because dogs often don’t appear poorly with kennel cough infection though it’s very tempting to ‘wait and see’.  The danger with this approach is that a small number of dogs may develop a chronic cough that can persist, sometimes indefinitely.  The protective mechanism the body brings in to play to help defeat the infection involves an overproduction of mucus cells, and therefore mucus, in the lining of the main breathing tube.  These cells, however, have a habit of sticking around even after an infection has passed, potentially leaving a dog with a chronic cough.  When Vets treat those dogs suspected of having kennel cough it often involves an extended period of antibiotic therapy, and sometimes this treatment isn’t always successful in the first instance.  That’s why your Vet. will often be in touch around the time the treatment is ending to ensure that the whole of the infection has gone away.  If it’s 95% gone, it hasn’t gone at all!  Occasionally a second course of treatment is necessary, or even a different type of antibiotic.

How can I protect my dog from kennel cough ?

In all annual vaccinations for dogs, part of what is in the injection is there to protect against the viral element that causes kennel cough.  There are other infectious agents though, with the most notable of these being due to a bacterial agent, Bordatella.  Protection against this is afforded by a droplet vaccine applied directly up the nose of a dog.  Fortunately, in recent years, this has been refined to just a few drops in one nostril, once a year (it used be a larger volume of drops up both nostrils twice a year!).  Immunity is provided in just 72 hours.  It should be mentioned though that there are other infectious agents that can cause kennel cough for which there is no vaccination at present.  Fortunately these other agents are of minor importance normally, although they do have a certain nuisance value.  By taking the precaution of protecting against the main agents leading to kennel cough the level of any problem is dramatically reduced.

© copywrite Dai Gittins MRCVS.

Not all cats though are as confident as Milo.  And for those with a more timid nature, nervousness can lead to a very real issue of self trauma in the form of over-grooming.  The reasons for this are difficult to determine.  It’s often felt that the start off point for over-grooming is flea irritation.  Of course, plenty of cats get fleas without any signs of over-grooming, and anyway fleas can be very easily dealt with using modern insecticides that are extremely safe and effective.  But for some cats with a high level of skin sensitivity flea irritation can lead to an obsessive-compulsive type of over-grooming behaviour that can be a real issue for months or even years in to the future.

How does the problem develop ?

Often those cats that are likely to be at risk from this type of behavioural self trauma   will be more nervy than other cats.  Often such cats can be recognised as kittens during the early checks at Veterinary Centres.  These will be the less confident ones. Kittens complete their impressionable learning as young as 5 weeks of age, so getting a kitten from a “normal” home environment is really helpful.  Having been brought up with all the stuff of a typical home (such as the sounds of hoovers, washing machines and TV’s), will mean that they are more likely to be able to settle in with a family’s routine much easier compared to those that have been brought up in isolation.  Less confident kittens are much more likely to grow up to be cats that develop the habit of over-grooming.  Routine monthly de-flea treatment for such kittens is much more important to try and stop the process from starting.  However, it can also develop in cats that are getting bullied.  And that can start at any age.  Many of our feline friends have the run of the house and outdoors thanks to cat flaps.  But that means that any bullying, intruder cat will also get access to the home.  Fortunately there are now very sophisticated cat flaps that can be set to only allow access to the home of  your  micro-chipped cat, cutting down at least some element of the bullying.  The feline pheromone plug-in diffuser, Feliway is also a means of making the home “extra” cat friendly.  Even then though the problem can run ahead of us.

How would I know if my cat is over-grooming ?

For many owners it can come as quite a shock.  Out of nowhere their cat has suddenly developed bald patches, often symmetrical, affecting the back, around the tail area.  Sometimes it also affects the backs of the hind legs and belly, and in some cases the insides of the front legs.  It may only have been going on for a matter of days but more usually weeks.  The problem is that cats can be very secretive about this over-grooming, making early detection difficult.

How can we cure it ?

That can be difficult.  It sometimes becomes more a case of managing it.  Although there is now a medical problem of hyper-irritable skin, the basis of the problem is stress in many instances.  Routine and regular de-flea treatment is started straight away, but that’s pretty much a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.  Without it though, all the other treatments may be compromised.  Anti-inflammatory treatments are often started for these cats to try and put the brakes on the skin irritation and the introduction of micro-chip activated cat flaps and Feliway diffusers, if appropriate, are often helpful.  Novel anti-anxiety medications are also becoming available that may also help.  The key, as always, is to act quickly when the skin signs on a cat are recognised to try and head off the slide in this type of behaviour before it becomes too entrenched.

© copywrite Dai Gittins MRCVS.